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Housekeeping

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Original poster

If you're not putting your heating on, and you don't have a tumble dryer, how do you get your washing dry???

90 replies

binkythebullet · 07/09/2008 20:53

I'm accumulating piles of wet washing, which ends up having to be washed again as it doesn't dry properly and smells musty. I loathe tumble dryers from an eco/ cost perspective (ditto heating when it's not properly cold). Any other ideas? I've given up on the idea of ever seeing a blue sky again...

OP posts:
mogs0 · 07/09/2008 20:56

It's taken me a week to dry 3 loads of washing!! I'm now just doing one load at a time and when that's dried on the clothes airer I'll do the next one otherwise it ends up really stinky!!

Kbear · 07/09/2008 20:56

Surely it is more economical to wash and tumble than keep washing clothes that smell musty? After hanging stuff on line all "summer", I gave in today and used my tumble drier twice, until things were almost dry, and now have everything draped over every surface just airing and finishing off. I really don't want to use my tumble drier but after the weekend of rain and back at work tomorrow I had no choice. I think using it sparingly is going to have to be the answer.

preggersplayspop · 07/09/2008 20:56

We just hang ours on a clothes dryer thingy in the dining room. I've never owned a tumble drier so I don't really see the point of them. Our clothes are drying ok without the heating on at the moment, a bit slower than when its warm but not really a problem.

Spidermama · 07/09/2008 20:58

We have an airer in the kitchen. I could do with another one. They're a god send and if the clothes are hung they won't get musty even though they might take a while to dry with no heating on.

Ready4anotherCoffee · 07/09/2008 20:58

aaargh, I don't have a tumble drier, and it's mounting up...

I'm also doing one load at a time, and using the airer, although I got a load half dry today.

frogs · 07/09/2008 21:00

I have one of these. It lives in the bathroom (or will live in the utility room once the hell-hole with the leaky roof is converted into the utility room of my dreams sometime in 2010). I love it, it will hold pretty much a whole wash and stuff dries overnight. Nothing smells musty.

PinkTulips · 07/09/2008 21:04

i don't, as soon as i run out of places to dry things (can't put stuff out as last time i had to bring it back in after 3 days and rewash it as it had gotton so wet it was dragging in the mud) i have to stop washing.

my family is constantly running out of clothes and there are 3 massive laundry mountains dominating my house.

i'm actually looking forward to winter as at least the heating will be on and i'll get stuff dry.

i have a washer dryer but the dryer is next to useless so even without the cost issue i wouldn't be using it unless an emergancy.

piratecat · 07/09/2008 21:08

i think i am lucky as i have the gas boiler and water heater in a cupboard in my room. I hang everything on a clothes dryer, and opent he door to this combo and it gets dry over night. The pipes get warm, form the hot water coming on.

a friend of mine hasbeen taking hers to the laundrette, not economical, but at least it's done.

theyoungvisiter · 07/09/2008 21:10

we have a really good airer from Ikea - it will take a full load of washing.

We hang sheets and big stuff over the banisters - my mum used to do the same. It's very practical, especially in the morning when you're stumbling down for a shower!

pointydog · 07/09/2008 21:12

Leave it hanging up indoors for a bit longer.

If yours isn't drying you should prob consider either a dehumidifier or putting a fire/the heating on for a bit.

Original poster
binkythebullet · 07/09/2008 21:14

I admit defeat - I've just put the heating on for an hour....God, it's depressing this weather.

OP posts:
skirmish · 07/09/2008 21:17

hang tops (mine and dh's) on hangers and then on curtain rail - sheets over banisters - today towels are also hanging over curtain rails, and have been know to hang teatowels/muslins on skirt hangers and hang on rail (dries much quicker than airer - house smells lovely too!)

TheGreatScootini · 07/09/2008 21:17

I put the airer in front of my airing cupboard and leave the door open too.It hasnt worked very well today though as have alot of washing and have had to be put ever so slightly damp sheets on our bed as all others are wet or dirty or on the guest bed where my parents are sleeping tonight.(I have planned very badly with my sheet washing this week).I will have to warm them up with a hair dryer and hot water bottles before I get in.Its like the dark ages.I think I will have to just get a dryer.This is absurd

FluffyMummy123 · 07/09/2008 21:18

Message withdrawn

frankbestfriend · 07/09/2008 21:20

24 hours on the clothes airer in the utility room and it's dry.
Agree with Skirmish, sheets, duvet covers and towels over bannisters make the house smell lovely

piratecat · 07/09/2008 21:22

yep ditto big towels/sheets--bannisters.

Original poster
binkythebullet · 07/09/2008 21:24

yep - have already employed the bannisters.

Hmmm..I think cod might be onto something with the 10000000000 rpm spin.

OP posts:
ByTheSea · 07/09/2008 21:26

I also have an airer just like frogs -- got it at Lidl a few years ago quite reasonably. We keep it in the dining room, out of the way. When the weather's like this I do also use the tumble drier, though, for underwear and bedding.

largeoneplease · 07/09/2008 21:33

To get washing to dry indoors, you need to open the windows. It helps a lot, even if it's raining. I hang mine on coathangers on the curtain rails

LazyLinePainterJane · 07/09/2008 21:33

I have been pissed off today. As previously mentioned on another thread, have managed to last since March with no hot water and no heating on and I've had to put the fucking heating on today!!

We have no space for an airer in most rooms, and the room that we do (utility) is so draughty and cold that it takes 4 days for a load to dry. Our heating system is shitey shite and a million years old and the house is cold. (rented) there is no space in the airing cupboard. I had 8 (EIGHT!!) loads of wet washing waiting, some of it I had to rewash as it has been out on the line several times and rained all over.

Sigh.

Got it all dry today, dread to think what it cost. System is so crap you have to heat the tank of water to have the heating on.

Time for a tumbler methinks.

LazyLinePainterJane · 07/09/2008 21:35

largeone, I do that too! Have had to with the amount of washing. Works well if you get the sunrise against the window, dries well.

LazyLinePainterJane · 07/09/2008 21:35

I also do an extra spin on every load.

LittleBella · 07/09/2008 21:39

You tumble dry for a bit before hanging up?

Wierd

Bubble99 · 07/09/2008 21:40

Launderette.

£4 does 6 loads of washing.

BouncingTurtle · 07/09/2008 21:43

High spin in w/m, hang on big airers, the room that I hang everything in has a dehumidifier in.